Goals

I think it's important to re-evaluate and have goals in each year, as well as long term ones for focus.
I say "focus" lightheartedly because I've been chided once or twice (and let me say, ONLY in LA, land of the mediocre (excuse my cynicism) for not having "focus". At first I was bothered by it (after all, in school I was that kid who did EVERYTHING and EVERYTHING well, and was well known in almost every facet of every club in school, and got the loudest applause when her name was called at Graduation because I knew everyone). Now, I'm not bothered so much anymore. I just seek out other people like me, people who dare to be different and exceptional and change the world with the many skills they have.
I'm discovering that some of the most exceptional people do many things. It's relieving. It also is very liberating. So I say "focus", but I use the word lightly.

Every year, I usually map out my financial, career, etc goals.
This year, I want to focus on reading a lot more. I think that both reading and travelling are important, rather than just mindlessly churning out images from things you think you know but you really don't. Reading exposes you to the thoughts of others and the way that they think. Too many times I think that people who aim to be designers don't spend enough time being thoughtful, travelling and reading the thoughts of others.
Take for example, someone as amazing as Buckm!nster Fuller. He was not only a designer and engineer and architect, but he wrote. Even the great Le C0rbusier spent a lot of time travelling, exposing himself to the thoughts of others and the greatness of the people who came before him.

Even from a business standpoint, how can you know the needs of your clients if you are forever just in your own bubble of persons like yourselves?

Personally, I become bored when I am in a room of the same type of people. It's banal, it's not enchanting and I want to teleport myself away from such places.

 It's important to understand who your clients are and what they need (even if you think, like J0bs, that you need to show the client first what they want, because they don't know what they want).

I'm also venturing into the field of R0botics. I'm really really excited, and it's something I think I will enjoy, as I have always been involved in electronics to an extent, even throughout painting, drawing, yadda yadda yadda. I'm excited that the fields of art and robotics and technology are combining. Having an understanding of both will be to a person's advantage. Also, I intend to continue bettering my eye in terms of craftsmanship, also continuing to explore courses like machining, sculpting, woodworking. I think that there are so many "designers" who have never touched wood, glass and metal and it makes me sad, because that stuff brings life to your work.

Anyways, these are some of my short term goals. I'm reading a fascinating book called "Ench@nted 0bjects". It's a great read and it's about how technology and design are transforming and will continue to transform our lives. A lot of this is driven by the M!T Ide@s L@b, which is a fascinating facility. It's a hotbed of this sort of stuff, and maybe I will end up there one day, even to visit. Of course, not to be biased here, but it's on the East Coast (smile). My really good friend works in that area, and also is a person I met in school who wanted to be a Journalist, then writer, and ended up as an excellent c0der with a love for neuroscience and how the brain works. The first time I met him and had conversations with him, he was fascinated with Fr@ctals, and I had never heard of that before. It fascinated me. He read immensely. He would literally scoop up most of the books from the "donate the books you don't want" pile every year. By the time he had left school, he had read HUNDREDS..no THOUSANDS of books. Of every topic.

I keep noticing that some of the most fascinating and creative people I've met do many, many things. They design buildings but also play the piano and cello, write poetry, dance, and love S0duku. Or they love fixing cars, while painting and c0ding in their spare time. Why limit yourself or the human brain? Wouldn't we all love the chance one day to reach our fullest potential?